New Jazz Player: Tips and Advice Needed

Hello fellow saxophonists! (gosh I've waited so long to say that again :P) Well, I know my username says that I only play oboe and piano but I also used to play the alto sax and I'm starting up again. I did an audition today for my school and my teacher said I could easily be in the second best band in the school ( were it not for the numerous amounts of brilliant saxs already at my school, which means i'll only be in the next one down) But the main reason I picked up my sax again was because I wanted to try jazz. I had played sax for 3 years in primary school and one year in high school but I havent been in a proper concert band since primary school and I have never tried out jazz before. So I have just over 2 months to practise a jazz piece I can do for my jazz audition at the begining of next year. Any tips, or hints on how I can play jazz? my teacher says I have good intonation already but I have lost some muscle control around my mouth due to playing only oboe for a year. Any tips on how to get that back as well? many, many thanks and i shall speak to you all again soon.
KT

If you are concerned with your embouchure, start working on long tones, and if you are interested in jazz do your long tones playing ii V I of every key playing up the the 9th of the chord. It helps your tone you muscles and familiarizes yourself with playing chords all at the same time.

Thanks everyone. No I haven't play Jazz piano b4, its on my to do list. but i do know about swinging the notes. I think I know how to swing. And i've heard from a few other jazz players(a trumpeter)that improv is just making up a melody to do with the key signature. may be wrong but thats what i've heard.

Buy a copy of The Jazz Theory Book, by Mark Levine. It contains everything you need to know. Also check out Jamey Aebersold play- along CD's, which range from beg-adv. The CD's on blues, and the II-V-I progression would be a good place to start. Above all, listen A LOT to the masters, like Bird, Stitt, Adderly, Woods... Good luck

That's really great that you are doubling on oboe and saxophone. Because the fingerings on these two instruments are so similar that can't help but to be an asset. There are stories about Stan Getz playing bassoon and that was an obvious help to his saxophone playing ability.

It's great that you "wanted to try jazz". Playing jazz seems to take on different meanings to different players. Playing jazz you can exercise all of your capabilities in reading and listening. The emphasis on listening is critical because in jazz you are interacting with other musicians and having a musical conversation.

Hints? One of the most important hints is to listen to recordings of musicians who are playing the music that you are working on. Copy what they are doing because they are doing it right. It's an oral tradition passing on over time.

Listen to them intently. Although when you start trying to figure out what they are doing it may not make sense at first but keep on listening anyway. Jazz is more or less a musical language.

The more efficient you are on your instrument the easier it will be to express yourself in the jazz conversation. Good intonation as you mentioned is important. So is knowledge of scales and chords. Don't expect to get all this done in a couple of months but looking at the long term it will work. Get started right and as soon as possible.

Work on the fundamentals. Your chops or "muscle control around your mouth" will get stronger with gradual practice. Listen to how you play long tones in the lower register and try to get it round and centered. Try slurring the long tones up and down in half steps. Blend the tones together. Find a favorite player and try to imitate their sound.

One of the most important hints would be to enjoy listening to jazz and learn as much as you can from expert players that are doing it well. Writing out little melodies and phrases and practicing those can be a big help too.

That will challenge you to use your ears!!!!! Speaking of ears ...... take some courses in solfege and learn what the intervals sound like early on. Try to sing what you are trying then play it back on your horn.

A lot of teachers will have you playing scales and chords but won't challenge you to know how to listen with understanding.
Counting rhythms is of vital importance too so you can know when to play what you play and when to not play. lol

Learn the difference between a minor and major third, a perfect fifth and so on until you have experienced all twelve intervals. You don't have to be a great singer, although that would help but we are talking saxophone playing here. That said you should working on pre hearing what you are about to play.

Well KT we wish you the best on your audition. Keep on practicing and listening to some good jazz. Who knows with a little concentrated practice you maybe playing first chair in the best band in the school. That could very easily happen. Then you will be livin large for sure.

regards,

Don

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dude jazz is soooo easy once you get the hang of it!!! anyway for the peice youre working on... play it regularly but dont put a lot f time into it or youll confuse yourself... for me i have to hear jazz to play it, so ask friends in the jazz band and your director if they could help you with rythyms and such... jazz is supposed to be really free and fun so try adding a little of your own style... do this and you will do great... oh and p.s confindence always bumps you up on the list... playing the wrong note really loud is way better sounding than playing it really quiet

Hey everyone, Thanks so much for your advice. I feel a bit guilty because i havent been practising but tomorrow I'm going to practise for an hour. I wont play only jazz, because i want to increase my classical repetoire. But do you guys think i should learn more than one song? because the one im learning is very basic... well it seems too easy for me. I'm approximately grade 4 on both sax and oboe but my woodwind teacher advises me if i'm going to take one into uni, that i should choose by grade 12. what do you think about that? Well thanks everyone for the encouragement and i'll be sure to tell you how i went on my audition.
Katie